Hi all,

I previously posted some warts-and-all email summaries of the ‘Curse of Strahd’ campaign I ran in 2017-18, the ‘Tomb of Annihilation’ campaign I ran in 2018-19, the ‘Out of the Abyss’, a campaign I ran in 2020 and the ‘Phandelver’s Pact’ campaign I ran from 2020-2021. CoS was the first campaign I sent summaries to players by email after each game (I was a bit lazy prior to that), which is why I could use them for this column.

Here’s another campaign (some might say my last 5e campaign, if you don’t count all the playtest campaigns I ran and continue to run lol) that started out with a slightly skewed version of ‘Ghosts of Saltmarsh’, then merged with a doctored ‘Descent into Avernus’ and was prematurely cut short when WoTC stunned the community by deciding to be dicks about the OGL (remember that?), prompting me to run Pathfinder 2e campaigns instead.

‘Shadows Over Saltmarsh’ was set in Greyhawk, my childhood campaign world (created by the eminent Mr. Gygax, himself). Each session was approximately 4-5 hours (sometimes more) long. Most of the summaries appear here as they first appeared. If you’re a D&D fan you may enjoy them. And maybe even if you aren’t.

Steve 🙂

Session 31 – Tails of Devils, Tails of Tuxedos

A Barbed Devil was standing in the doorway to the library of Elliander’s Mansion. It telepathically demanded the book from Alyona (half elf cleric) and questioned Thessalia (sea elf druid) about her pearl, stating she “wasn’t entitled to it”. Thessalia explained the pearl was part of her tradition – a rite of passage – and told the devil it was nothing to do with it. Meanwhile, Felix (human rogue/wizard) took Alyona’s cookbook to get it away from the devil and hid under the far end of the library table. The very perceptive devil found him and Felix copped quite a beating from its barbed hands and tail. Thessalia’s guided bolts and Alyona’s magical dagger attacks were ignored as the Barbed Devil single-mindedly pursued Felix out to the reception and into the dining room, scattering chairs as Felix hid under the sixteen-foot dining table. Eventually Felix made it to the kitchen, shooting the devil as it came through the door with Alyona finishing it off from behind with a swift dagger stroke.

At the Quartermaster’s of Iuz, Fa’aoa (human barbarian) felt a strange sensation from his ancestral protectors – something was wrong – perhaps his comrades were in trouble! He set off at a brisk pace up the hill to Elliander’s mansion, yelling to Ser Karestan (aasimar paladin). Karestan took flight, shooting up the cliff face. The two of them finally arrived at Elliander’s mansion, beating down the door but finding the battle already won. Karestan was particularly miffed – he sat in the corner and sulked.

After explanations from Alyona about the contents of her book and her visions, the floating city of Elturel and Marcus Lynden’s shady devil-worshiping ways, Thessalia provided some further explanation about the pearl (but not too much, as she wanted to keep most of that particular information to herself). Krag the librarian provided insights into the Barbed Devil that attacked them – although it was a higher rank than the Bearded Devils the party encountered earlier, that didn’t mean it was the leader. There might be other, more powerful devils ordering the attacks. But why were they after the book? And what was the link to Thessalia’s pearl and her internal drive to come to Saltmarsh?

The party bought lunch (pies, sausages and ale) from several street meat carts at the Garden Market, with Fa’aoa feasting on a massive lunch. Rested and refreshed, they headed off to Fogherty’s Fine Tailors, where everyone purchased a set of nice clothes for the upcoming party. Ser Keraston helped out by providing advice and paying for the lot. Felix was very uncomfortable with the process, but eventually chose a suit that ‘suited’ his needs. Everyone described their costumery and recorded them for future reference.

After spending nearly five hours at the tailor’s, the party headed to the Carpenter’s Guildhall to organise someone to inspect their mansion regarding much needed repairs. Just outside the guildhall, both Alyona and Thessalia both entered trance-like states, Alyona seeing the vision of her ancestor she had experienced before, but this time locating what appeared to be a secret door in the wall of the house in Crabber’s Cove. Thessalia witnessed a flaming land and a blue pearl within her reach. Grabbing it set her arms alight, and by the time she put out the flames the pearl sat suspended before her, wreathed in fire… When the two awoke, the party questioned what had happened, with Alyona revealing her story and Thessalia telling of the fiery environment but choosing not to speak about the pearl.

Inside the Carpenter’s Guildhall the party met with Jilar Kankelsten, a snobby gnome who tried to overcharge them for guild services. Eventually a price of 50 gp was agreed for a housing inspector to visit the party’s mansion the next morning. Jilar asked the party to look for some rare wood on their travels, which Ser Keraston found particularly amusing.

Finally, the party picked up their fine clothes and headed off to the party at Primewater Mansion…

Session 32 – A Most Expected Party

The party were guests of honor at a dinner party at Primewater Mansion. Felix and Keraston went to great lengths to hide daggers on their persons. When they arrived at the mansion, Mansour, the aged and doddering butler, led them to the coat room, where they left their bag of holding filled with weapons and Alyona’s special cookbook.

In the ballroom, mingling and mixing with guests:

• Alyona spoke with Krag, the half orc librarian, who explained Elliander wasn’t worried about the damage to the house that had resulted from the fight with the Barbed Devil at his mansion, more about why the devil appeared and attacked them.
• Fa’aoa asked Wellgar Brinehanded of the Temple of Procan, a knowledgeable priest of the sea, whether he might be able to identify the pirates of the Pearl Sea who kidnapped the barbarian.
• Felix chatted guardedly with Anders Solmor, council member and collector of ancient swords, and his curt butler, Skerrin.   
• Ferrin Kastilar, the druid who usually lived in a tree in the Sea Grove of Obad Dai, enquired after Korth (lizardfolk druid), who Alyona explained was sleeping at the ship.
• Eliander Fireborn cornered Alyona to get an explanation of why the devil had attacked.  Alyona explained about her cookbook, the house at Crabbers Cove, the time loss, her dreams and the mysterious attacks they had faced since returning to Saltmarsh. Elliander was very concerned, and reminded Alyona she should be keeping a close eye on the book. He also mentioned that Alyona should come by the council tomorrow and he would give her a sending stone so she could keep Elliander informed about developments.
• Fa’aoa was reunited with Aulani Etana (Strong King’s Messenger), childhood friend who was now Fa’aoa’s usurper brother High Chief Nohea’s envoy to Saltmarsh. Gellan Primewater announced that the Savuta’a Islands were entering into a trade agreement with the city and that he hoped the relationship between the two nations would be strong. Aulani Etana and Fa’aoa stared angrily at each other for most of the night, occasionally sharing guarded insults.

As everyone moved off to the dining room for the five-course dinner:

• Felix used his invisible mage hand to spill Aulani Etana’s wine all over him. Fa’aoa chuckled in approval.
• Each of the party members gave a speech.
• Ser Keristan revealed how misogynist he was by trying to pick up both Manistrad Copperlocks (dwarvish silver mine operator) and gentlewoman Marygold (which started out well, but deteriorated as the night went on).  
• Alyona traded recipes with Feliza the cook in the kitchen.
• The rest of the party approached Gellan Primewater to see if he had any work for them. Primewater mentioned the council’s work had to come first, but he would keep them in mind. He pointed out that as the primary trading operation he would not welcome competition from their ship. Felix lied to Primewater about the blue chest they had recovered for him, saying he was only interested in the lock from a professional perspective and hadn’t tried to open it; Fa’aoa undermined him by saying “of course we tried to open it, why wouldn’t we?” Primewater’s regard for the party seemed to decline at that point, more on the basis of Felix’s lie than Fa’aoa’s truth.

After dinner, the guests returned to the ballroom and Keraston told how he defeated his first dragon and was knighted. It started off well, but dragged on for 15 minutes and by the end the audience (and Marygold) were bored senseless and drifted away. At that point, Keraston hit the booze again.

Meanwhile, Felix used disguise self to resemble one of the front door guards and scouted upstairs. He found a guest room with a large, massive-bellied humanoid asleep on one of the beds, smelling strongly of sulfur. He quickly backed out and after checking a few other rooms went downstairs and failed to pick the locks on the library. He returned to the ballroom as Keristan was finishing his wearying tale, but not before passing Alyona as she attempted to find him.

Alyona went to the toilet and was interrupted by a Bearded Devil who promptly killed two nearby guards. As she fled, more guards from upstairs intervened, entering the corridor and fighting the devil. Meanwhile, the party responded to her calls; Felix reclaimed the bag of holding with their weapons from the cloak room and everyone armed up.

Felix sneaked through a blood and body-part filled corridor (the guards had not fared well) to the library, where he spotted eight Bearded Devils. He ran back and took position on the foyer stairs, while Keraston and Fa’aoa guarded the double doors.

Four Bearded Devils assaulted the two, and three of the fiends were quickly despatched by Felix, Keraston and Fa’aoa. Unfortunately, another four Bearded Devils came through a separate set of doors, flanking the party and grappling Alyona. The party could only stare in disbelief as the devils and their cleric disappeared!

The last bearded devil was knocked unconscious, but as it came to it informed the party Alyona was taken to Crabbers Cove, but they had little chance of saving her – there, they would meet their doom! It then committed suicide, leaving the party with more questions and a party member down…

Interlude – Alyona…

(This section was played out between Alyona’s player and DM, without the knowledge of the other players.)

Alyona is teleported away by Bearded Devils. She arrives in a shadow-filled chamber, worn stone pillars to the left of her and piles of rubble to the right. The ceiling of dark tiled stone is 15 ft. above her head. Piles of bones surround a deep pit in the far corner of the chamber. A large circle of red glyphs is painted on the blue stone floor, not far away. The Bearded Devils are unflinching as she attempts to cast a spell. Three figures are approaching in the darkness.

Two Chain Devils use their powers to animate chains and truss Alyona up, bringing her to her knees. Another figure approaches from behind them – shorter, broader in girth. As it emerges into the dim light, Alyona’s eyes widen as she recognizes none other than Gellan Primewater!

“So,” he says, grimly. “It seems you have something I’ve been searching for.”

Alyona realizes the devils can’t sense the book in the other dimensional space of the Bag of Holding on her belt, otherwise they would have taken it by now. More than likely Gellan doesn’t know that either. It’s safe, for the moment.

“Tell me where my ancestor is, first,” she says. “Marcus Lynden.”

Primewater’s eyes narrow. “I think I might be able to help you with that.”

He clicks his fingers and gestures to the red circle. The two Chain Devils slap a binding around Alyona’s mouth and drag her to the center of the circle. There is a flash of light and the universe skews around her – colors flash before Alyona’s eyes and her stomach churns. In moments, the dark chamber has disappeared, and she is kneeling between the two devils, facing rows of white buildings – some damaged, some not – on an island of rock, floating above a flaming plain. Alyona recognizes this place as Elturel, the mysterious city in her book…   

Next: Save the Cleric!

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